Digging bucket device



P. HATCH El' AL DICGING BUCKET DEVICE May 23, 1950 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 29, 194s eflmmxmfwu May 23, 1950 P. HATCH Er AL DIGGING `BUCKET DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1946 s 3 Y R E W ,Nn E 0 Mmmm, .n [Q MK il A H A. M @WW PLI. Y d B Patented May 23, 1950.

UNITED STATES PATENT- oFFics 2,508,606 Y DIGGING BUCKET- DEvIcEl Parli riefen, Louis nmz, and! :aan A". Horton', Kans;

Application April 29, 1946seria1Na/ss5lsssf' 2 claims. (c1. 25a-o7) l? This invention relates to a digging del/106i and more particularly to adevice for digging post holes or the like, which may be mounted on a vehicle such as a truckor tractor and operated from a power take cifof such vehicle.

The principal objects ofthe present invention are to provide a digging device provided with av bucket adapted to be rotated for iilling the same; to provide a device of this character having a two-piece bucket whereby byV rotating the bucketfor operating the digging. bucket; to provide a; digging device operated from a boom or frameV attached to the bed of a-truck so that the digging bucket will operate in a vertical condition regardless of the unevenness of the ground over which the truck is driven; to provide a device which will dig a hole at an angle from vertical position; and to provide a device of this character simple, economical to manufactureand efcient in operation. u

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, we have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: n

Fig. l is a side view showing the details of our invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational View particularly showing the winch for raising and lowering the dig- Fig. 7 is a side elevational view partly in cross section showing the bucket in open position. Referring more in detail tothe drawings: l designates a digging machine embodying the features of our invention adapted to be carriedon a truck bed` r the like 2 and adapted to be connected to the drive shaft 3 of a power takeoi (not shown) on the truck.

Located on the truck bed near the power take off is a winch 4 on which a cable 5 is adaptedto be wound. Thev winch 471s mounted on the bed` by brackets 5 and 1 by shaftr8 in bearings 9 and I0.

A boom or crane l` isrigidly secured-to the-I :truck bed 2 by a bracket lr2- located near the winchll and isi-providedI with abrace arm |3 connected to the outer side ofv the trucky bed by a'- bracket or the like |24 having its upper endy attached to therboom H as indicated at I5. While we have here-,illustrated one4 braceV member, ad-

ditional brace members may be Vsuppl-ied to'form a more rigid structure ifrdesired.V The upper end of the boom ispro'vi'dedwith a1- yoke I adaptedto receive a pulley H- over which the cable 5 is run and is providedwitha hook lsfor suspending the digging element as3 later described.

The drive shaft 3 from thepower take olf extends through a bearing member I9. Located on the outsiden `of `the bearing member is asprocket wheel- 20 adapted to receiveI a chain 2|: leading to a sprocket wheel 22 carried by a shaft` 23y connected to the winch It through suitablef gearing contained inf a housing '24` for 'drivingv said winch.

Also carriedV by the truck bedY 2 and preferably located underneath'v thefbed is afshaft -25 carried by bearings 26 andv 2l.v The inner end of the shaft 25 eXtendsinto-a variable speed' transmis-'- ,sion 28 located underneath the truck bed and near the power takeoif. A'short shaft 25 extends from thel transmission to the bearing box I9. Located on the shaft 3'on the inner side ofv the bearing box I9 onf, thev power take off is al sprocket 29 over which achain 30- runs to aV sprocket 3| on the short shaft- 25? for driving. the shaft 25' as'will later beshownf.

33 designates a digging, deviceA or bucket of auger typeA having arod 34 connected to its' upper side provided with a socket' 35 having a square opening adapted to receive a shortshafit.- 36 leading from a transmission gearing (not shown) in a housing;V 31- adapted to be suspendedA from the hook- I8 by a'bailv or the like 38. The short axle or shaft-"36Y may beprovidedA with ay square end to ty in'n the, square: socket 35 and'` fastened thereto-1 by a suitable pi'n orv the like 39. Leading: from one sideof the transmissionr housing 31 is a bearing member l0-accommodating a short shaft 4'laconneicted to a telescoping driving member 42- by universal joint43 The vdriving member 42 comprises a sleevev or the like 44 having adouble bearing member 45= at its upper end and a packing46'. It is also pro-l vided at its opposite en'dwith ay suitable bearing 41 and packing member 48; In the-sleeve144 a shaft 49 havinganfannular ang'e 50 adaptedV The two-piece digging bucket 33 consists of a j bar 51 rigidly secured to a connecting member B to which the rod 34 is rigidly secured in a suitable manner. One end of the cross bar 51 is provided with a semi-circular depending ilange 59 to which is rigidly secured by welding or other suitable means a semi-circular bucket piece 50 forming one-half of said auger bucket, the lower L portion being provided with a tapered or semiconical portion 6I. The semi-circular bucket portion forms one-half of the auger and is provided with a, cutting edge or blade 62 which extends outwardly from the semi-circular auger portion slightly as'indicated at 53 (Fig. 6), its opposite side being cut awayslightly as indicated at 63' to allow the material to load the bucket.

The front end of the cross bar 51 is slotted as indicated at 64 (Fig. 5) and adapted to receive a lug 65 which is attached to a semi-circular auger member 66 substantially identical with the auger member 60 just above described, the lower conical portion of the auger member being provided with a cutting blade B1, and one edge being cut away as indicated at 68 and the opposite side being extended outwardly as indicated at 69 to allow the auger to loosen the dirt and raise it into the bucket. The semi-circular bucket member 66 is pivotally secured to the cross bar 51 by the lug 65 and held in place by a bolt 10. Also pivotally secured to the cross bar 51 by bolt T0 are arms 'H and 12 extending substantially parallel to the bar 51 and provided on their outer ends with a depending paddle member 13 for loosening and removing dirt from the bucket as later described.

v A collar 14 is rigidly secured to the connecting member 58 and has outwardly extending arms to which Vis-pivotally secured by a bolt 16 a, lever 11 comprising spaced bars 18 and 19 provided at their free ends with a handle member 80. Near the lower end of the lever member pivotally secured by bolts or the like 8| are links 82 and 83 having their lower ends pivotally connected to the arms 1l and'12 respectively by bolts or the like 84 and 85 for a, purpose later described.

A hook 86 is rigidly secured to the rod 34 adapted to receive a latch member 81 comprising a rod 88 extending through an opening in the handle member 8D and having a cross bar 89 comprising a, handle for disengaging the latching member from the hook. A coil spring 90 is provided on the rod 88 to exert tension on said latching member.

Operation of a device constructed and assembled as described is as follows:

When the truck is driven to the desired location the bucket 33 may be lowered to the ground by operation of the winch 4 by operating the transmission 28 by operation of lever 9| (Fig. l), thus allowing the cable 5 to roll over pulley l1. Further manipulation of the lever 9i will cause rotation of the drive shaft 25 by sprocket and chain 3U leading to the short shaft from the power take oi and transmission. Operation ot drive shaft 25 will cause rotation of telescoping drive shafts 52 and 48 respectively, which in turn operates the drive shaft 4| leading to the gearing in transmission housing 31 to rotate the axle 36 and rod 34, thus causing the bucket 33 to rotate to ll the same with dirt to be removed from the hole during the digging operation.

Before start of the digging operation the lever 11 is in engagement with the hook 8B and when the bucket is filled with material operation of the winch raises the bucket through cable 5 to remove it from the hole. The material may be removed from the bucket by unlatching the k latching member 81 through handle 80, the lever 11 being `pulled outwardly by handle 80. and

the links 82 and 83 having their lower ends fastened to the arms 12 and 13 will cause the semi-circular bucket member 6B to pivot on the pin 10 so that the material will be dumped from the bucket when the device is in the position shown in Fig. 7, the paddle member 13 aiding in removing the dirt from the bucket should there be an inclination for it to stick thereto. The bucket may then be closed by raising of the lever 11 again to latching position.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the digging device proper is normally operated in a vertical position due to the telescoping driving member 42, the square rod 52 and tubular rod 49 being telescoped together when the device is operating in a more horizontal position, but if the bucket is raised, the telescoping members will be extended outwardly and conversely should it operate below the horizontal position, so that the bucket will operate in any position.

It will also be obvious that if desired the hole may be dug at an angle by holding of the rod 34 in such angle position, the pivoted connection of the transmission gearing in housing 31, universal connections 43 and 52' and arms 54 rotating the bucket in any position. When the bucket is raised from the hole it can be removed by hand to one side of the hole to dump the dirt or other material therefrom- It will further be obvious that our invention may be adapted for various uses without departing from the spirit of our invention, and the construction and mounting may be modified and still be within the scope of the present invention.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A drilling bucket for earth boring machines having a rotatable shaft comprising, a bar suspended from the rotatable shaft, a pair of semicylindrical shell members, one of said shell members being rigidly secured to one end of said bar and the other pivoted on the other end of said bar, semi-conical drilling heads joining the bottoms of said shell members in angular relation therewith, each of said heads having cutting edges for cutting earth material, means on said heads to facilitate entering of said material into the shell members, arms pivotally mounted on the end of said bar with the pivoted bucket piece and extending parallel with said bar, a paddle on the free ends of said arms, a lever pivotally mounted on said shaft above said bucket pieces, and links having one end secured to said lever and their y opposite ends to said paddle arms for releasing said material from the bucket upon manipulation of said lever.

2. A drilling bucket for earth boring machines having a rotatable shaft comprising, a bar suspended from the rotatable Shaft, a semi-circular ilange rigidly secured to and depending from one end of the bar, a semi-circular bucket piece rigidly secured to said ange, a second semi-circular bucket piece pivotally secured to the opposite end of said bar, semi-conical heads joining the bottoms of the semi-circular bucket pieces in angular relation therewith, said heads having cutting edges for cutting earth material, means on said heads to facilitate entering of said material into the bucket pieces, arms pivotally mounted on the end of said bar with the pivoted bucket piece and extending parallel with said bar, a paddle on the free ends of said arms, a, lever pivotally mounted on said shaft above said bucket pieces, links having one end secured to said lever and their opposite ends to said paddle arms for releasing said materials from the bucket upon manipulation of said lever, latch means for holding the pivoted bucket piece in closed position,

and means for releasing said latch means.

PARK HATCH. LOUIS HINZ. IVAN A. KING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 76,752 Hale Apr. 14, 1868 1,507,236 Humiston vSept. 2, 1924 1,663,833 Genung Mar. 27, 1928 1,926,325 Bertran Sept. 12, 1933 2,321,680 Houston June 15, 1943 2,371,563 Walter Mar. 13, 1945 

